While Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump plans to rally with supporters in Green Bay Friday, Wisconsin’s senior U.S. Senator will not be joining him.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) said Tuesday that scheduling conflicts with his own reelection campaign would prevent him from attending. “We’ve already got my schedule planned out and these stops being so short notice…I make commitments, I’m a business guy, I actually honor those,” Johnson told affiliate WTAQ.
Johnson is facing a reelection battle against Democrat Russ Feingold, whom he defeated during the 2010 election.
Johnson is not the only prominent Republican skipping Trump’s planned rally in Green Bay. House Speaker Paul Ryan of Janesville will also be back in his own district, focusing on his reelection campaign. Republican Governor Scott Walker’s campaign has not yet said whether he plans to attend the event.
Johnson also weighed in on the latest controversy surrounding Trump’s war of words with the family of a fallen Muslim-American soldier, saying that Gold Star parents of Captain Humayun Khan deserve honor and respect. “We should only honor and respect Gold Star parents and the service of the finest among us who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice,” Johnson said.
Trump has been under fire for attacking Khizr and Ghazala Khan, after they appeared on stage at the Democratic National Convention last week and made remarks critical of the GOP nominee.
Jeff Flynt at affiliate WTAQ contributed to this report.